MIAMI, Fla. – After returning to the Kaseya Center following a 129-105 win over the Toronto Raptors at Quebec City, California, Giannis Antetokounmpo praised the Miami Heat’s bench unit.
“I was actually caught off guard during the game,” he said. “Once they went in, they were better than the first unit. Just having a group that’s so close with one another, to play physical, they’re able to space the floor; it’s fun. In order to have a good season, you got to have a deep team.”
The Heat had three reserves from the standard roster reach double figures in scoring. Tim Hardaway Jr. had 14 points, Pelle Larsson with 13, and Nikola Jovic had 11. None of them played in the fourth quarter.
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Hardaway Jr. is coming off a Sixth Man of the Year finalist campaign. He led the Denver Nuggets bench unit by averaging 13.5 points while shooting 40.7 percent from behind the arc, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 80 games (six starts). Hardaway Jr. finished third in the award voting. The 34-year-old signed a one-year, $6.07 million contract with the Heat in free agency this summer. Hardaway Jr. looks to provide floor-spacing alongside frontcourt stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
Larsson is looking to build off a breakout second season in the league. He’s proven to be impactful with and without the ball while being an efficient scorer on all three levels. As Antetokounmpo and Adebayo draw the defense’s attention, Larsson will have opportunities to make plays, whether it’s by cutting to the basket or creating for himself. The 25-year-old is projected as an early candidate for Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player. The last player to win both awards in the same season was Darrell Armstrong in 1999 with the Orlando Magic.
Jovic arguably has the most untapped potential on the roster. He’s a 6-10 and 245-pound forward who has guard-like skills and can score on all three levels. Despite several injury setbacks, Jovic still has the Heat’s belief. The 23-year-old could emerge as head coach Erik Spoelstra’s first reserve to play. Jovic has more than enough experience; meanwhile, gaining muscle to make a consistent winning impact.
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Plus, the Heat have Bobby Portis Jr. and Simone Fontecchio, who are capable of providing a spark.
In an 82-game regular season, the bench unit will lead to wins over the stars. Antetokounmpo and Adebayo won’t always be the heroes of the night. The Heat have the depth to take over games and break down opposing defenses. Even one of the two-way players, like rookie and former Miami Hurricanes guard Tre Donaldson, could go off on a given night.
The Heat will host its annual Red, White, and Pink scrimmage on Tuesday night, then face the New Orleans Pelicans at the Kaseya Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. E.T.
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